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Public comment is invited on the draft Tasman National Park Fly Neighbourly Advice. The draft Fly Neighbourly Advice has been prepared by the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service in response to increasing air traffic over the Tasman National Park.More

When you next visit Cradle Mountain you will be able to step aboard one of the new hybrid, diesel-electric, shuttle buses on your trip to Dove Lake. These new buses will reduce emissions and deliver a quieter, all mobility friendly, visitor experience.More

Following the 2018-19 bushfires the Tasmanian Government commissioned an independent report by the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Council to review the overall response and identify areas where more can be done to improve the State's response andMore

Blue Whale

Drawing by Graham Sanders

The Blue Whale has an elongated body and U-shaped head with a prominent ridge running from the blowhole to upper lip. The spectacular 10 m high blow is easily seen when the whale lifts a large part of its head and shoulder out of the water to breathe – further than other large whales. It has a small dorsal fin which can vary in shape and size and is located about three quarters of the way back on the body and may be glimpsed on diving. It is often a uniform blue/grey colour or mottled dark blue/black or grey. There are two subspecies of the blue whale in the southern hemisphere, Balaenoptera musculus intermedia, and the Pygmy Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda which only reaches 25m in length and experts believe is the one most spotted in Australian waters. The Blue Whale is the largest of all whales reaching up to 30m in length and weighing up to 100 tonnes.

General Information

Distribution map of sightings and strandings (click to enlarge)

Blue Whales are listed as endangered, and have occasionally been spotted off Tasmania’s coastline in recent years as they move to feeding grounds off Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria. They generally travel singly or with one other individual. They feed exclusively on krill. Blue Whales can live up to 100 years of age. Calves are born in winter and are weaned at summer feeding grounds at about 7 months of age when about 16m long. Calves drink around 200 litres of milk per day putting on about 90kg in weight daily. The location of their breeding grounds is unknown. They are usually concentrated in the summer pack ice but can occasionally be spotted all round the Australian continent. The normal heart rate for a Blue Whale is only 20 beats per minute.

Stranding Information

Worldwide stranding records are generally single animals that have washed up dead. The first record was from Tasmania in the Derwent River in 1825 and was a 29.3m adult. In 1874 a 26.5m whale was recorded at Ulverstone and in 1967 an 18.3m Blue Whale was recorded at Three Sisters Island. A 20m Blue Whale was also recorded at King Island in 1991.